Mary Bates, PhD » sensory

JUN

2018

The Scorpion’s Hiss

You’d think a nimble stinger and powerful pincers would be enough. But some scorpions have another defensive strategy – hissing. The behavior is not well-studied and few recordings exist. But now scientists have a greater appreciation for the way scorpions produce these sounds,. . . Read More

BY maryb

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TAG animal behavior, animal communication, evolution, invertebrates, New Scientist, noise, scorpions, sensory, vibration

DEC

2017

How Sensory Experience Shapes the Developing Brain

The human brain is immensely complex, comprising billions of neurons and trillions of neuronal connections. It is the behavior of neurons that produces our thoughts, feelings, and actions. But understanding how the activity of neurons and their organization into circuits can. . . Read More

BY maryb

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TAG brain, development, neuroscience, sensory, Society for Neuroscience

DEC

2017

Meet the Amazing Whip Spider

Whip spiders, also known as tailless whip scorpions, are neither spiders nor scorpions. These strange creatures belong to a separate arachnid order called Amblypygi, meaning “blunt rump” in reference to their lack of tail. Very little was known about whip spiders before the turn. . . Read More

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TAG animal behavior, animal communication, fighting, foraging, hearing, homing, hunting, invertebrates, mating, sensory, social behavior, The Scientist, vibration, whip spiders

NOV

2017

Communication Breakdown: How Flies Hijack Frogs’ Love Calls

In my latest article for The Scientist, I highlight the work of Dr. Ximena Bernal. She studies a tiny fly that eavesdrops on the mating calls of a particular tropical frog. Once it locates a calling frog, the fly crawls to its nose, where it can easily bite through the skin for a. . . Read More

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TAG amphibians, animal behavior, animal communication, blood, flies, frogs, hearing, Insects, invertebrates, parasites, sensory, The Scientist, vocalization

OCT

2017

The Language of Odors: Different Odor Dialects in Wild Otter Populations

Researchers from Cardiff University in Wales have shown for the first time that genetically distinct populations of wild mammals have different “odor dialects.” In a new study, they describe how populations of otters from across the UK possess sex- and biogeography-specific odors. . . Read More

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TAG animal behavior, animal communication, chemical, conservation, genetics, olfaction, otters, PLOS ecology, sensory, social behavior